Press Releases

03.05.2016

First Student-Led HKUST MBA Case Competition Inaugurated

MBA students at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology’s School of Business and Management (HKUST Business School) have brought together 40 peers from top business schools around the world to compete for the School’s first Global MBA Challenge.

Organized by 18 full-time MBA students and title-sponsored by Swiss watchmaker Baume & Mercier, the first HKUST MBA student-led case competition featured ten teams representing the best MBA programs from around the world. The two-day challenge took place from 15 through 16 of April.

“The contest aims to create an exceptional learning platform for the world’s brightest MBA students, where their business aptitude is put to test, and students are exposed to what leadership in Asia means for the world,” said Mr Mark Wise, the Competition Organizing Committee Chairman and also President of the MBA Association. “We hope the participating teams can deepen their understanding of the convergence of Eastern and Western business practices in Asia and benefit from the interaction with their diverse and talented peers from around the globe.”

In the multi-round competition, the teams were tasked to look into the marketing strategy of Baume & Mercier, one of the world’s oldest Swiss watchmaker and also the case company. They were given the opportunity to go head-to-head in three different matches, including short case and strategy presentations and a negotiation competition.

The overall championship ended in a tie between the home team HKUST and the visitors from CEIBS. The judges were impressed by the innovative ideas put forward by the two teams. With strategies that encompassed targeting China’s emerging new middle class with novel marketing tactics and business models, the students presented forward-thinking solutions to challenges faced by one of the world’s largest luxury companies in Asia.

“The intake class of 2015 has done a fantastic job and set a high bar for the program,” said Mr Sean Ferguson, Associate Dean (Master's Programs) and Director of MBA Programs. “We relish the opportunity to compete against the elite MBA programs of the world. It makes success more rewarding and humbling at the same time. This is a great reinforcement of the global nature of our classroom experience and foretells future career successes for our MBA students.”

“Perhaps more impressive than the competition victory, was the student organizing committees’ ability to mobilize key corporate partners, students, faculty and staff to pull off such a first class event. This competition speaks volumes about our students’ ability to make things happen under pressure. It was one of the best efforts I have seen amongst MBA students,” Ferguson added.